Gear pump



R. J. GRAY GEAR PUMP Dec. 30, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 23, 1948 w w w 2 MW a 4 a a B r r we i... \W H Y Z Z 3 l 0 2W3 3 4 a, 0 u m 3 2 2 w .7 2 2 Z 2%! .1. $5 f m w Q A l Q 1/ %w@ Ill r 1 l mil I 2 MWN 5 "w z u i H /R j w R. J. GRAY Dec. 30, 1952 GEAR PUMP 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 23, 1948 7 a z. 4 3 u 5 5 6 W\\\\ l R 1 mm w w INVENTOR. 1911:699 J Gry Dec. 30, 1952 R. J. GRAY 2,623,469

GEAR PUMP Filed July 23, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 &6 INVENTOR.

Russgl/ Jf Gi a v W C y Patented Dec. 30, 1952 2,623,469 GEAR PUMP Russell J. Gray, Meadville, Minn., assignor to Gray Company, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application July 23, 1948, Serial No. 40,279

8 Claims.

improved helical gear pump adapted to dispense relatively viscous fluids or the like from a container or other reservoir. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a rotary pump constructed and arranged interchangeably to receive any one of a plurality of helical gears of different capacities, so as to vary the volume of fluid delivered by the pump at constant speed of rotation. A further object of the present invention is to provide a, helical gear pump constructed and arranged for mounting upon a drum or similar container, in a manner whereby its intake leg can extend downward through the bung-opening of the drum or the like to adjacent the bottom thereof so as to pump out the contents of the drum with a generally continuous and uninterrupted flow and at a rate which can be adjusted by use of interchangeable helical gears.

A still further object of the present invention is to'provide a helical gear pump of the type mentioned above wherein a by-pass is rovided to give continuous circulation of the fluid being moved by the helical gears when the back-pressure on the pump becomes excessive.

It has been customary in the past to provide pumps for emptying drums or similar container of lubricants or other relatively viscous fluids; said pumps including a riser having an intake end at its lower end adapted to be positioned at the bottom of the drum, etc., and having a pumping mechanism supported at the top of the drum. These conventional pumps have been of the reciprocating plunger or piston type having check valves at the intake end and in the piston so that lubricant can rise above the piston on the downstroke and can thereafter be raised by the piston on the up-stroke.

These conventional pumps have not proven entirely satisfactory due in part to the intermittent flow produced thereby as well as the relatively low efliciency of this general type of pump and the fact that, in order to increase the rateof-iiow, it is necessary correspondingly to increase the speed of operation of the piston and the actuating mechanism therefor.

The present invention contemplates a new and improved construction for lubricant-dispensing pumps or the like wherein the pumping mechanism is of the continuous rotary or helical-gear type providing uninterrupted flow (with. relatively high efllciency) located generally at the lower or intake end of a riser-tube and driven by a shaft extending up through the riser-tube and connecting with a constant-speed electric motor adapted to be supported on the top of the drum, etc.; the gearmechanism being constructed and arranged so as to permit quick assembly as well as replacement of the helical gears by others of different axial dimension and pumping capacity, whereby different rates of flow (up to the capacity of the pump-body) can be obtained without varying the speed of rotation of the pumping elements.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the accompanying drawings forms thereof which are at present preferred, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and organizations of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description, appended claims and accompanying drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention as it appears when installed upon a drum for lubricant or the like; the drum being shown as broken away, better to reveal the appearance of the p mp.

Figure 2 represents a side elevational view of the embodiment of Figure 1.

Figure 3 represents a view generally like that of Figure 2 but with various parts shown in crosssection so as better to reveal the construction thereof.

Figure 4 represents a vertical cross-sectional view showing the lower or intake end of the pump.

Figure 5 represents a vertical cross-sectional view taken generally at right angles to the view of Figure 4 and better illustrating the relationship of the helical gears.

Figure 6 represents a horizontal cross-sectional view taken generally along the lines 8-! of Figure 5.

Figure 7 represents a horizontal cross-sectional view taken generally long the line 'l-'l of Figure 5.

Figure 8 represents a horizontal cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 8-4? of Figure 5.

Figure 9 represents a side elevational view of the helical gears of Figure 5.

Figure 10 represents a side elevational view like Figure 9 but showing helical gear elements (interchangeable with those of Figure 9) having somewhat greater axial dimension and correspondingly greater capacity.

Figure 11 represents a view like that of Figure 9 but showing helical gear elements of smaller axial dimension and showing a spacer of correspondingly larger axial dimension.

Figure 12 represents a view like that of Figure 11 but showing helical gear elements of even smaller axial dimension and showing a spacer of correspondingly larger axial dimension.

Figure 13 represents a horizontal cross-sectional view generally along the line i3-l3 of Figure 9.

Figure 14 represents an exploded or dis-assembled view of the pump-assembly showing the helical gear elements, the spacer, and the shafts of Fi ure 11.

Figure 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a modified form of the riser tube and the connecting rod.

Fi ure 16 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken generally along the line i5| 6 of Figure 15.

In one embodiment of the present invention shown generally in Figures 1-3, I may provide a constant speed electric motor 20 of generally conventional construction disposed in generally vertical position with its drive-shaft 2| extending downwardly. The motor 20 is provided with a conventional center housing section 22 and an end housing section 23. However, the end housing section which would normally be provided on the other side of the center housing section is omitted and, instead, the open end of the motor 20 is fitted into the uppermost annular flangeportion 24 of a pump-head 25 to be more fully described hereinbelow. A plurality of bolts 26 connect the motor 29 to the pump-head 25.

The bottom or radial wall 21 of the flange portion 24 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged openings 23 and a central hub-portion 29 through which the drive shaft 2| extends; thrust-bearing 39 and oilite sleeve bearing 3| being provided within the hub portion 29 so as to journal the drive shaft 2|. An oil cup 30-41 may be provided for the thrust-bearing 30 with its free end extending through a generally radial opening formed in the annular wall of the flange portion 24 to facilitate oiling of said bearing 30.

The pump-head 25 is integrally formed as an aluminum-casting or the like and includes a central yoke portion 32 tapering downward from the upper flange portion 24 and connecting with a lowermost portion 33 which forms the upper head of the pump as will be described below. The yoke portion 32 provides a central open throat 34 with which the openings 28 communicate to permit circulation of air through the motor housing in order to cool the motor in conventional manner. 7

The portion 33 of the pump-head 25 is provided with a conduit 35 which is in communication with a side outlet opening 36 adapted for screwthreaded connection to a check-valve 200 which tion 46 of the connecting rod 45 extending connects with a T pipe-section 20! which in turn connects with a flexible delivery hose 3'! whose free end is provided with a delivery nozzle 38 having a shut-off valve 39 of conventional construction.

The conduit 35 also communicates with an opening 40 which is formed in the bottom wall 4! of the portion 33 and which is adapted for screw-threaded connection to the upper end of an elongated riser tube 42; the upper wall 43 of the portion 33 having an opening 44 which is in axial alignment with the bottom opening 40 as well as the opening in the hub-portion 29.

A connecting rod 45 extends upwardly through the riser tube 42 and into the conduit 35 of the portion 33; the somewhat reduced uppermost porthrough the opening 44 and terminating within the open throat 34.

Anannular sealing element 47 of synthetic plastic material or the like and a radial bearing 33 are disposed within the opening 44 so as to provide a fluid-tight seal for the rotating upper end 45 of the connecting rod 45. The upper end 43 of the connecting rod 45 is generally in axial alignment with the drive shaft 2| of the motor 29 and a flexible sleeve or coupling 49 of resilient synthetic plastic or the like is adapted to connect the two so as to drive the rod 45 from the drive shaft 2|. The upper end of the coupling 49 is provided with a set-screw 50 adapted to be tightened against a fiat 5! formed at the end of the drive shaft 2| so as to prevent slipping of the coupling 49 while the tight frictional engagement of the lower end of the coupling 49 with the portion 46 is suflicient to prevent slipping at that point (although it is obvious that, if desired, a similar set-screw connection could be provided at that point as well) Screw-threadedly connected to the lower end of the riser tube 42 is a pump-housing 52 which may be integrally formed as a zinc alloy casting or the like. A gasket 42-a provides an annular fluid-tight seal therebetween.

As shown more particularly in Figures 4-8, the pump housing 52 is provided with a generally vertically extending pumping chamber 52-41 within which a pair of vertically extending inter-meshed rotatable helical gears 53 and 54 are mounted. The gear 53 (which may be of steel or the like) is keyed to a shaft 55 (also of steel or the like) which extends upward through a bronze bushing 56 set in the bottom wall 51 of the uppermost screw-threaded socket-portion 58 of the pump housing 52 and extends into the riser-tube 42. The uppermost end of the shaft 55 fits within an axial opening 59 formed in the lowermost end of the connecting rod 45 and the two are connected by a radial pin 60 extending through matching openings in the rod 45 and the shaft 55 as indicated particularly in Figure 3.

The lower end of the steel shaft 55 is journaled within a bearing-opening Bl formed in a bearingplate 62 of case-hardened steel or the like which is detachably connected to the bottom of the pump housing 52 by a plurality of bolts 63.

The gear 54, which is an idler or driven gear of bronze or the like, is rotatably mounted upon a fixed shaft 64-, the upper end of which is provided with a plurality of slight axial-extending ridges 65-41 which are slightly over-sized relative to a socket 65 formed in the wall 51 of the zinc alloy pump housing 52 so that the upper end of the shaft 64 is locked in place when driven into the socket 65. The lower end of the fixed idler f endsterminate somewhat short of the end surface 51-11 (of the wall 51) which forms the top wall of the pumping chamber 52-a.

An integrally-formed spacer element 51 of die cast zinc alloy or the like is positioned within the upper portion of the pumping chamber, 52-a above the gears 53 and 54.

The spacer element, as shown more particularly in Figures 9 and 13, is generally in the form of a figure eight in cross-section with slightly oversized openings 50 and 58 through which the shafts 55 and 54 extend. The spacer element 61 is also provided with a slot which is in alignment with an outlet conduit I l formed in the wall 51 of the pump housing 52 so that when the gears are rotated in a manner to be more fully described hereinbelow, the fluid being pumped thereby will be forced upward through the slot 10 and the conduit II, into the socket 58 and from there up through the riser tube 42.

The pump housing 52 is also provided with a vertical extending inlet conduit 12 which is in continuous communication with the pumping chamber 52-a and which communicates, at its lower end with an intake opening I3 formed in the bearing-plate 62.

A horizontal conduit I4 extends through the wall of the pump-housing from the output side of the gears 52 and 54; with its outermost end closed by a threaded steel pipe plug 15.

A vertical conduit extends upward from the bottom edge of the pump housing 52 and communicates, at its upper end, with the horizontal conduit 14. A by-pass opening I1 is provided in the bearing-plate 52 in alignment with the conduit 15 but somewhat smaller in radial dimension so as to provide an annular supporting shoulder I8 for a tapered compression spring 19 which in turn supports a check-ball 80 and maintains it in yielding relationship to an annular valve seat 8| formed in the condiut l5.

The bearing-plate 52 is externally screwthreaded and is adapted to receive the uppermost internally qireaded socket portion 82 of a footvalve body 83 of cast zinc alloy or the like. A brass strainer 04 is provided at the lowermost intake edge of the foot-valve body 83 somewhat below the central transverse wall 85 thereof.

The wall 85 is provided with a central opening 86, a lurality of valve-openings 81 arranged in circumferential relationship to the opening 85, and an upwardly-extending annular flange 88 encircling the openings 81 as indicated particularly in Figs. 4 and 5.

The foot-valve assembly also includes a valve member 88 made up of a pin 80 extending through the central opening 85 and movable therewithin, a valve disc 9| mounted on theupper end of the pin 90 and an up-set retaining shoulder 92 formed on the lower end of the pin 00. The valve disc 9| may be formed of an apertured metal plate 93 and a coating 94 of resilient rubber or synthetic rubber or plastic or the like which can form a fluid-tight seal with the annular flange 08 when the valve member 80 is in its lowermost position as indicated in Figure 5, thereby to close off the valve openings 81.

When, on the other hand, valve member 09 is 6 in its uppermost position as indicated in Figure 4, the valve openings 81 are uncovered so that rotation of the gears 53 and 54 sucks fluid up through the strainer 84, the valve openings 81, the intake opening 13 and the inlet conduit I2, and forces it through the slot 10, the socket 58, the riser tube 42, the conduit 35, the delivery hose 31 and out through the open valve 38 and the nozzle 38.

When the valve 38 is closed, with the gears 52 and 53 still running, the back pressure of the fluid will open the check-ball 80 so that the fluid driven by the gears 53 and 54 will move through within different-size bung-openings.

the by-pass conduits l4 and I5, and the by-pass opening 11 and back through the intake opening 13 so as to provide continuous circulation of the fluid within the pump housing 52 when there is no flow of fluid through the delivery hose 81.

The transverse dimension of the pump housing 52 and the foot-valve body 03 are such that they can be inserted into a drum D through the bung-opening B so that the mouth of the footvalve body 83 is closely adjacent the bottom of the drum D. In this way, the drum can be emptied, virtually completely, of its contents.

The bottom wall 4| of the pump head 25 may be so dimensioned as to rest on, and be supported by, the bung-opening.

I prefer, however, to provide a bung-adapter 202 which is constructed and arranged to he slipped over the riser tube 42 and adjustably fastened thereto at any desired position by means of a set-screw 203. The bung-adapter 202 is provided with a pair of different-diametered externally-threaded portions 204 and 205 whereby the pump unit can be screw-threadedly engaged Thus, for example, in Figures 1 and 2, the larger-diametered portion 204 is shown as connected to the bung-opening B (with the smaller portion 205 extending downward somewhat beyond the bungopening). It is obvious that if the container were provided with a smaller-diametered bungopening, the smaller portion 205 could be screwthreadedly connected thereto (with the larger portion 205 protruding somewhat above the bungopening).

It is also apparent that the bung-adapter 202 could be provided with three or more co-axial difi'erent-diam'etered externally-threaded portions'to permit the pump unit to be used with a still larger variety of diflerent-size bung-openings.

As shown particularly in Figure 1, I may connect a pressure switch 205 to the T 20l and may connect the pressure switch 206 to any appropriate on-ofl switch (not shown) on the motor through an electrical cable 201.

The pressure switch 208 may be or generally conventional construction such as is well known to those skilled in the art and may be of the type manufactured by Cutler-Hammer Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, their model, Bulletin 10016 No. H70 Double Pole Pressure Switch.

Thus, for example, the pressure switch 208 may be set to start the pump motor when the pressure in the delivery line falls below pounds and to stop the pump motor when the pressure exceeds pounds. These pressure limits can. of course, be set and adjusted mechanically within the pressure switch 208 in conventional manner.

However, the pressure switch may be omitted, in which case the motor would be manually controlled by the operator; the T 201 being elimi- 7 hated and the delivery hose 31 connected directly to the check-valve 200.

In Figure 10 there are shown a pair of helical gears 53-a and 54-41 which are interchangeable with gears 53 and 54 of Figures and'9 but which are larger in axial dimension so as to equal the combined axial dimension of the gears 53 and 54 and the spacer element 51, so that the spacer element is eliminated.

It is apparent that use of the gears 53-a and 54-a (in place of the gears 53 and 54) would increase the rate-of-flow of the pump, up to the full capacity of the pump housing 52, without changing the speed of rotation of the gears or the motor.

In changing from the gears 53 and 54 to the gears 55-a and 54-a, the set-screw 50 is first loosened, after which the pump housing 52 is unscrewed from the lower end of the riser tube. thereby moving the connecting rod 45 downward until the flexible coupling 49 is detached from the drive shaft 2|. In this position, the radial pin 50 is adjacent the lowermost end of the riser tube 42 so that it can be removed thereby disconnecting the shaft 55 from the rod 45. This permits removal of the pump housing and the foot-valve body, as a unit.

Thereafter, the foot-vale body 83 is unscrewed from the bearing-plate 62 which. in turn, is "disconnected from the pump housing 52 by removing the'b lts 63.

Removal of the bearing-plate 62 permits the gear 53 and its shaft 55 to be withdrawn from the pump housing through the bottom open end thereof; the gear 53 carrying with it the idler gear 54.(which, as mentioned above, is rotatably mounted on its fixed shaft 54 and can slide axial- 1y therealong).

Gear 53-a (on its shaft 55-a) is then inserted;

' the idler gear 54-a being positioned upon the shaft 64 in inter-meshing relationship with the gear 53'-a. The gears 53-0. and 54-a will occupy the entire axial dimension of the pumping chamber 52-a (that is, their axial lengths will equal the combined axial lengths of the gears 53-54 and the spacer element 51 of Figure 5).

The steps described above are now reversed; the bearing-plate first being replaced (with the openings GI and 66 receiving the lower ends of the shafts 55-a and 64). after which the footvalve body 83 is attached, the pin 50 reinserted to connect the upper transversely-apertured end of the shaft 55 with the lower end of the connecting rod 45, the pump housing 52 screwed on to the lower end of the riser tube 42 and the set screw 50 re-attached to the drive shaft 2!. I

Theoperation of the pump is the same as described hereinabove except that its volumetric capacity or rate-of-fiow is greater by an amount determined by the increase in axial mension of the gears 53-11 and 54-a as compared to the gears 53 and 54.

In Figure 11 there are shown another pair of helical gears 53-h and 54-b which are smaller in axial dimension than the gears 53 and 54 of Figures 5 and 9 and which are provided with a spacer element B'I-b which is correspondingly greater so as to make the total axial dimension of the combination the same as that of Figure 9. It is apparent that, with these smaller gears 53-b and 54-h, the rate-of-flow of the pump, at a given motor speed, is correspondingly less than than obtained when the gears 53 and 54 are employed.

The method of installing-the'gear 53-!) and 54-12 is shown diagrammatically in Figure 14 and is generally the same as that described hereinabove except that the spacer element 61-!) is positioned so as to occupy the upper part of the pumping chamber 52-4 (the upper end of the shaft 55-h being inserted within the opening 58-11 and the lower end of the shaft 54 being inserted within the opening 53-b and thereafter into the idler gear 54-h), after which the assembly steps are as described hereinabove.

In Figure 12 there are shown still another pair of gears 53-0 and 54-0 which are even shorter in axial dimension than the gears 53-1) and 54-h and which are provided with a correspondingly longer spacer element 5l-c thereby further to reduce the rate-of-flow of the fluid delivered by the pump at a given speed.

By way of example, the gears 53 and 54 can be three-fourths the length of the gears 53-a and 54-a so as to give three-fourths the rate-offlow. Likewise, the gears 53-h and 54-!) can be half the length of the gears 53-a and 54-0. to give half the rate-of-flow, and finally, the gears 53-0 and 54-4: can be one-fourth the length of the gears 53-41. and 54-a to give one-fourth of the rate-of-flow.

However, these dimensions are merely by way of illustration and it is obvious that the helical gears could be given any desired axial dimension so as to accurately determine the rate-of-flow' of the fluid delivered by the pump with a given motor speed and a given fluid viscosity.

While the novel pump construction of the present invention has been shown and described herein as employing helical gears, the present invention is not limited to helical gears and, instead, comprehends the use of spur gears or other types of intermeshing gears capable of pumping liquids or semi-solids, as well.

By use of the novel pump of the present invention it is possible not only to obtain continuous uninterrupted uniform flow of fluid from a container for motor oil or other lubricant or the like, but also to provide a more or less standardized unit which can be manufactured, at relatively low cost, and which can be adapted to provide any one of a number of different flow-rates, depending upon the individual user's require-- ments.

Thus, it is obvious that, with a standardized pump housing, having a relatively large capacity itis possible to equip the unit with different sized helical gears (and inexpensive comple mentary spacers) which will give. rates-of-flow varying downward from the capacity of the pump housing to any desired smaller value.

In other words, it is no longer necessary to provide a large number of different capacity pumps (in each of which the dimensions of the housing, gears, shafts, etc. are different), in order to fulfil the needs of individual purchasers and. instead, it is possible to supply a normal demand with a standard pump housing and with a stock of different-sized gears (and complementary spacers).

The use of a bronze idler gear minimizes wear of the intermeshed gears and lengthens the serviceable life of the pump.

While both the bearing-plate and the rotating shaft 55 are steel, there is negligible wear at this point since the surfaces are hardened and are protected by the lubricant in which the pump is immersed. It is obvious, of course, that a bronze bushing (similar to the bushing 56) could be provided within the bearing-plate to receive the lower end of the shaft 55 if desired.

While intended primarily for the pumping of motor oil or other lubricant, the novel pump of the present invention can be usedequally well for dispensing other liquids or the like. The materials of construction can, of course, be varied depending upon the particular use to which the pump is to be put and the properties of the fluid being pumped. For example, corrosion-resistant materials could be employed when the pump is intended 'for use with chemicals or other corrosive liquids.

While it is preferred to mount the adapter member at the upper end of the pumping chamber (above the gears), the present invention also contemplates a construction wherein the adapter is positioned within the lowermost end of the pumping chamber, below the gears.

In Figures 15 and 16 there is shown a modified form of the present invention wherein the riser-tube and the connecting-rod are made extensible to permit the lowermost intake end of the pump to be vertically adjusted so as to fit different-depth containers.

Thus, in Figures 15 and 16 there is shown a riser-tube 96 which is adapted for connection to the pump-head and to the pump-housing in the same manner described hereinabove in connection with the embodiment of Figures 1-3 but which is made up of an upper section 91 and a lower section 98 arranged in telescopic relationship to each other. As indicated particularly in Figure 15, the upper section 91 may be arranged to fit within the lower section 98 and may be provided with a sealing gasket 99 fitted within an annular groove formed adjacent its lower'end. The lower section 90 may be provided with an inwardly-directed annular flange Il at its uppermost end to limit its downward movement relative to the upper section 91.

The gasket 99 provides a fluid-tight seal between the sections 01 and 98 to prevent leakage of the fluid being pumped through the riser-tube and, at the same time, permits the sections to be moved axially relative to each 'other.

The connecting-rod 45-a is adapted for connection at its lower end to the gear shaft and for connection at its upper end to the motor drive-shaft in the manner of the embodiment of Figures 1-3, as described above, but is also constructed of an upper section I02 and a lower section I03 which are telescopically arranged relative to each other so that the over-all axial dimension of the drive-shaft can be varied with that of the riser-tube 96.

, Thus, the upper connecting-rod section I02 may be provided, at its lower end, with a plurality of circumferentially-arranged axially-extending outwardly-protruding ridges I04, while the upper end of the lower section I03 may be hollow and may be provided with a plurality of circumferentially-arranged axially-extending internal grooves I05 within which the ridges I00 can be fitted, as indicated particularly in Figure 16. This provides a splined connection between the sections I02 and I03 so as to permit them to move axially relative to each other while providing a rotational inter-lock. That is, the splined connecting-rod sections I02 and I03 permit the pump gears to be vertically. adjusted relative to the motor.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent:

'1. For use in dispensing lubricant or like fluid from a drum or the like; a rotary pump comprising a motor having a drive-shaft, a pumphead fastened to said motor and having a conduit formed therein and having a bearing for said drive-shaft, a delivery hose connected to said pump-head in communication with said conduit, a riser-tube connected to said pump-head in communication with said conduit and exten ing downwardly therefrom, a pump-housing etachably connected to the lower end of said risertube, said pump-housing including a verticallyextending pumping chamber, an inlet-conduit leading from the bottom of said pump-housing and communicating with said pumping chamber, and an outlet-conduit leading upward. from said pumping chamber and communicating with said riser-tube, a rotatable shaft and a non-rotatable shaft, a vertically-disposed pump-gear disposed within said chamber and keyed to saidrotatable shaft extending upwardly therefrom and protruding from said riser-tube, an idlergear disposed in intermeshing relationship with the first-mentioned gear and rotatably mounted upon said non-rotatable shaft vertically disposed within said pump-housing, said gears being smaller in vertical dimension than said pumping chamber and terminating short of the top wall thereof, an adapter disposed within said chamber above said gears, said adapter having holes for said gear shafts and having a slot in alignment with the outlet-conduit, 9. connecting-rod detachably keyed to the protruding upper end of said rotatable shaft, said connectingrod extending upwardly therefrom within said risen-tube and into said pump-head, the upper end of said connecting-rod extending through said pump-head conduit and emerging therefrom through a fluid-tight rotating seal and terminating adjacent to and generally in axial alignment with said drive-shaft, and a coupling constructed and arranged detachably to connect said drive-shaft and said connecting-rod whereby operation of the motor will cause axial rotation of said drive-shaft thereby to turn said intermeshed gears and to pump lubricant or the like upward through said pump-housing, said risertube, said pump-head conduit and said delivery hose. I

2. For use in dispensing lubricant or like fluid from a drum or the like; a rotary pump comprising a motor having a drive-shaft, a pumphead fastened to said motor and having a conduit formed therein and having a bearing for said drive-shaft, a delivery hose connected to said-pump-head in communication with said conduit, a riser-tube connected to said pump-head in communication with said conduit and extending downwardly therefrom, a pump-housing detachably connected to the lower end of said riser-tube, said pumphousing including a pumping chamber extending upwardly from the bottom edge thereof, an inlet-conduit extending upwardly from the bottom edge thereof and in continuous communication with said chamber. and an outlet-conduit extending upwardly from the top of said chamber and communicating 11 with said riser-tube, a bearing-plate detachably secured to the bottom edge of said pump-housing, said bearing plate having an inlet-opening in alignment with said inlet-conduit and having a pair of spaced shaft-openings formed therein, a pump-gear vertically disposed within said chamber, a rotatable shaft keyed to said pump-gear and journaled, at its lower end, within one of the shaft-openings of said bearingplate and extending upwardly therefrom through the top of said pump-housing and protruding into said riser-tube, an idler-gear also disposed within said chamber in intermeshing relationship with said pump-gear, a fixed shaft upon which said idler-gear is rotatably mounted, said fixed shaft having its upper end supported in the top wall of the pumping chamber and having its lower end supported in the other shaft-opening of said bearing-plate, a foot-valve assembly detachably secured at the under-side of said bearing-plate, said gears being smaller in vertical dimension than said chamber and terminating short of the top wall of said chamber, an adapter disposed within said chamber above said gears, said adapter having holes for the gear shafts and having a slot in alignment with the outlet-conduit, a connecting-rod detachably keyed to the protruding upper end of said rotatable shaft, said connecting-rod extending upwardly within said riser-tube and into said pump-head, the upper end of said connectingrod extending through said conduit and emerging therefrom through a fluid-tight rotating seal and terminating adjacent to and generally in axial alignment with said drive-shaft, and. a coupling constructed and arranged detachably to connect said drive-shaft and said connectingrod whereby operation of the motor will cause axial rotation of said drive-shaft thereby to turn said intermeshed gears and to pump lubricant or the like upward through said pump-housing, said riser-tube, said pump-head conduit and said delivery hose.

3. A rotary pump including a pump-housing having an elongated pumping chamber extending inwardly from one side thereof, and having inlet and outlet conduits communicating with said pumping chamber, a bearing-plate securely connected to the aforesaid side of said housing, said bearing-plate having a shaft-opening, a pump-gear disposed within said pumping chamber, a rotatable shaft having one end joumaled 12 from said pumping chamber, a bearing-plate detachably connected to the aforesaid side of said housing, said bearing-plate having a pair of spaced shaft-openings and having an inlet-opening in alignment with said inlet-conduit, a pumpgear disposed within said pumping chamber, a rotatable shaft having one end journaled within one of the shaft-openings of said bearing-plate and having its other end protruding fromsaid pump-housing and constructed and arranged for connection to said pump-gear and to a driveshaft or the like, a non-rotatable shaft and an idler pump-gear mounted thereon, said non-rowithin the shaft-opening of said bearing-plate and having its other end protruding from said pump-housing and constructed and arranged for connection to said pump-gear and to a driveshaft or the like, a non-rotatable shaft, an idlergear mounted on said non-rotatable shaft within said pumping chamber, said idler-gear being rotatable and being disposed in intermeshing relationship with said pump gear, said gears having the same axial dimension but being shorter than said pumping chamber, and a spacer element disposed within said pumping chamber in end-to-end relationship with said gears, said spacer element being provided with holes to receive the gear shafts and being provided with an opening to permit passage of fluid thereacross.

4. A rotary pump including a pump-housing having an elongated pumping chamber extendtatable shaft having one end disposed within the other shaft-opening of said bearing-plate and having its other end supported at the inner end of said pumping chamber, said idler-gear being rotatable and being disposed in intermeshing relationship with said pump-gear, said gears being shorter in axial dimension than said pumping chamber, and a spacer element disposed within said pumping chamber in end-to-end relationship with said gears, said spacer element being provided with holes for said gear shafts and being'provided with an opening to provide flow of fluid thereacross.

5. A rotary pump including a pump-housing having an elongated pumping chamber extending inwardly from one side thereof, and having an inlet-conduit leading inward from the aforesaid side and communicating with said pumping chamber and having an outlet-conduit leading from said pumping chamber, a bearing-plate detachably connected to the aforesaid side of said housing, said bearing-plate having a pair of spaced shaft-openings and having an inlet-opening in alignment with said inlet-conduit, a pumpgear disposed within said pumping chamber, a rotatable shaft having one end journaled within one of the shaft-openings of said bearing-plate and having its other end protruding from said pump-housing and constructed and arranged for connection to said pump-gear and to a driveshaft or the like, a non-rotatable shaft and an idler pump-gear mounted thereon, said non-rotatable shaft having one end disposed within the other shaft-opening of said bearing-plate and having its other end supported at the inner end of said pumping chamber, said idler-gear being rotatable and being disposed in intermeshed relationship with said pump-gear, said gears being shorter in axial dimensions than said pumping chamber, a, spacer element disposed within said pumping chamber in end-to-end relationship with said gears, said spacer element being provided with openings to receive the shafts of said gears, and a foot-valve assembly detachably secured at the outer side of said bearing-plate, said foot-valve assembly including a check-valve constructed and arranged to permit flow of fluid inward therethrough and through the inlet-opening of said bearing-plate and the inlet-conduit of said pump-housing.

6. A rotary pump including a pump-housing having an elongated pumping chamber extending inwardly from one side thereof, and having an inlet-conduit leading inward from the aforesaid side and communicating with said pumping chamber and having an outlet-conduit leading from said pumping chamber, and having a bypass conduit leading from said pumping chamber back to the aforesaid side of said pumphousing, a. spring-loaded check-valve mounted within said by-pass conduit, said check-valve being normally closed but being constructed and arranged to open when the back pressure on the pump becomes excessive, a bearing-plate detachably connected to the aforesaid side of said housing, said bearing-plate having a pair of spaced shaft-openings and having an inlet-opening in alignment with said inlet-conduit and having a by-pass opening in alignment with said by-pass conduit, a pump-gear disposed within said pumping chamber, a rotatable shaft having one end journaled within one of the shaft-openings of said bearing-plate and having its other end protruding from said pump-housing and constructed and arranged for connection to said pump-gear and to a drive-shaft or the like, a non-rotatable shaft and an idler pump-gear mounted thereon, said non-rotatable shaft having one end disposed within the other shaft-opening of said bearingplate and having its other end supported at the inner end of said pumping chamber, said idlergear being rotatable and being disposed in intermeshing relationship with said pump-gear, said gears being shorter in axial dimension than said pumping chamber, and a spacer element disposed within said pumping chamber in end-to-end relationship with said gears, said spacer element being provided with holes for said gear shafts and being provided with an opening to provide flow of fluid thereacross.

7. A rotary pump including a pump-housing having an elongated pumping chamber extending inwardly from one side thereof, and having an inlet-conduit leading inward from the aforesaid side and communicating with said pumping chamber and having an outlet-conduit leading from said pumping chamber and having a by-pass conduit leading from said pumping chamber back to the aforesaid side of said pump-housing, a spring-loaded check-valve mounted within said by-pass conduit, said check-valve being normally closed but beingconstructed and arranged to open when the back pressure on the pump becomes excessive, a bearing-plate detachably connected to the aforesaid side of said housing. said bearing-plate having a pair of spaced shaftopenings and having an inlet-opening in alignment with said inlet-conduit and having a bypass opening in alignment with said by-pass conduit, a pump-gear disposed within said pumping chamber, a rotatable shaft having one end journaled within one of the shaft-openings of said bearing-plate and having its other end protruding from said pump-housing and constructed and arranged for connection to said pump-gear and to a. drive-shaft or the like, a non-rotatable shaft and an idler pump-gear mounted thereon, said non-rotatable shaft having one end disposed within the other shaft-openin of said bearingplate and having its other end supported at the inner end of said pumping chamber, said idler- 'ear being rotatable and being disposed in intermeshing relationship with said pump-gear, said gears being shorter in axial dimension than said pumping chamber, a spacer element disposed within said pumping chamber in end-to-end relationship with said gears, said spacer element being provided with holes for said gear shafts and being provided with an opening to provide flow of fluid thereacross. and a foot-valve assembly detachably secured at the outer side of said bearing-plate, said foot-valve assembly including a check-valve constructed and arranged to permit flow of fluid inward therethrough and through the inlet-opening of said bearing-plate and the inlet-conduit of said pump-housing.

8. A rotary pump including a pump-housing having an elongated metering chamber formed therein, a rotatable drive-shaft, a helical gear of steel or the like mounted within saidchamber and keyed to said rotatable drive-shaft, a fixed shaft of steel or the like, an idler-gear of bronze or the like disposed within said chamber in intermeshing relationship with said first-mentioned gear and rotatably mounted upon said fixed shaft, said gears being shorter in axial dimension than said metering chamber, and a spacer element disposed within said chamber in end-to-end relationship with said gears, said spacer element having openings therein to accommodate the gear shafts.

RUSSELL J. GRAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 665,390 Brown Jan. 1, 1901 1,121,588 Johnson Dec. 15, 1914 1,968 Wood July 9, 1918 1,306,169 Brooks et al. June 10, 1919 1,470,804 Buckingham Oct. 16, 1923 1,846,500 Thompson Feb. 23, 1932 1,919,173 Schutt July 18, 1933 1,930,293 Valentine Oct. 10, 1933 1,942,064 Leveen Jan. 2, 1934 2,132,035 Leipold Oct. 4, 1938 2,190,246 Schirmer Feb, 13, 1940 2,212,417 George Aug. 20, 1940 2,277,270 Schmitter et al. Mar. 24, 1942 2,456,651 'Schmiel Dec. 21, 1948 

